Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Rosehill produced several standout performances last Saturday, but while Lazzura (Snitzel) captured the Group 1 headlines, the sectional data suggests another mare from Rosehill could be the key one to follow through the autumn.
Lazzura delivers in the Coolmore
Quite rightly, the talk of the town across media channels last weekend was Lazzura (Snitzel) putting James McDonald so close to Damien Oliver’s long-standing Group 1 record.
‘J-Mac’ now needs two Group 1 wins this Saturday across the five Group 1 races to break Ollie’s long-standing record, and with Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) lining up in the G1 George Ryder Stakes that looks a fantastic chance of at least one elite-level win.
As for Lazzura, she was superb, lumping 58kg while beating standard time by more than three lengths. The 3-year-old filly Savvie Hallie (Hellbent) went through the first 900 metres around six lengths above benchmark, which didn’t suit her at all - she needed a softer run over 1500 metres.
Lazzura was handy in running, meaning she also had to travel above benchmark through that first section. Her last 600 metres and final 200 metres were both above benchmark in what was a dominant performance and a rating that equalled her previous best.
Flying For Fun brilliant in the Maurice McCarten
But for me, the race and performance that really caught the eye was the G3 Maurice McCarten Stakes over 1100 metres.
The Bryce Heys-trained Flying For Fun (Spieth) was first-up and ran a career peak here. That’s a great sign for her going forward. She was two lengths inside standard time when clocking 1:03.3. Her last 600 metres was seven lengths above benchmark and her final 200 metres more than three lengths above, indicating she had more in the tank.
Put simply, she could win the G1 Galaxy Handicap down on the minimum with these figures, she is one to watch where she lines up this preparation.
Modella impressive in the last
Rounding out the top performances for the mares at Rosehill was Modella (Castelvecchio) for the Curtis stable. She looked over the odds at $6 on Wednesday and plenty agreed, backing her into $3.20 and clear second favourite.
Smashing the BM88 standard by almost four lengths and recording a career peak rating, Modella should prove hard to beat in a similar race next start even with more weight.
I’d be looking at one more run in the benchmark system, then maybe a race like the G3 Hawkesbury Crown for the girls.
You would think she is the perfect type to sneak into the G1 Stradbroke Handicap if luck abides during the Queensland Winter Carnival.
Is Sixties a Doncaster contender?
Speaking of big Group 1 handicaps, Sixties (Flying Artie) put his name into G1 Doncaster Mile contention with victory in the G2 Ajax Stakes over 1500 metres.
My knock here is simple - I don’t think we found out much about his ability to run a mile.
He was tested at the trip for the first time in the G1 Australian Guineas, you can always forgive a horse at their first crack at a new trip and certainly he wasn’t disgraced in the Australian Guineas behind Observer (Ghaiyyath {Ire}).
But here, he sat on a tempo that was four lengths below standard through the first section. His overall winning time was well outside standard and his last 200 metres was only fair.
I couldn’t back him in a Doncaster, but his trainer Chris Waller is a master of getting them to stretch to a trip that a data boy like me says can’t be done.
Sixties winning the G2 Phar Lap Stakes | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
I once said 'Hoylonny didn’t see out the 2000 metres' and would be better suited back in trip after failing at his first attempt. Waller then won three successive races all at 2000 metres with him. That was back in 2012 and I only just finished picking the egg off my face.
The 2-year-olds at Rosehill
Pembrey (Prague) and Warwoven (Sword Of State) won the G3 Magic Night Stakes and the G3 Pago Pago Stakes, cementing their spots in the world’s richest 2-year-old race - the $5 million G1 Golden Slipper.
Both of them were inside standard time, but I’d lean towards Warwoven as the pick for the Slipper, especially if they ride him quieter on the back-up.
The top Melbourne performers
Two horses from Melbourne last weekend that we might see in Sydney over the next few weeks are Salty Pearl (Tagaloa) and Big Wigs (Gold Standard).
Salty Pearl won the VOBIS Platinum Guineas at Caulfield over the mile distance but, similar to Sixties, we didn’t learn much. They went through the first 1000 metres four lengths below benchmark and, for punters wanting to know if Salty Pearl can run 2000 metres in a G1 Vinery Stud Stakes, this was no guide.
Her superior turn of foot was dominant and her final 200 metres was her best, ranking sixth for the meeting. Clearly she had more in the tank, but a fast-run 2000 metres is still a query.
Big Wigs ran a similar rating to Warwoven when he won the VOBIS Platinum 2YO Showdown and might be a G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes smoky should Philip Stokes fancy his chances of a trip up the Hume Highway.
